1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ventilation system used in a kitchen, more particularly, a kitchen ventilation system for removing fumes from the space above a cooking appliance, working together with an exhaust hood disposed above the cooking appliance, so that the system can improve the air quality within a kitchen, prevent fumes from spreading to other places, and decrease heat buildup within a kitchen.
2. Description of Prior Art
It is well known that the main pollutants of the atmosphere in a house or a large restaurant are fumes from a cooking appliance, activated by heat.
The heat is generated as radiant heat and convection heat, generated from the cooking appliance in the kitchen. Fumes, such as grease and other cooking-related gases, rise with heat and spread to other places.
As shown in FIG. 1, in the kitchen of a house or a restaurant, generally a kitchen hood 2 is equipped above a cooking appliance 1, such as a cooking table or a range, so that the kitchen hood 2 inhales (i.e., draws in) the cooking fumes from the cooking appliance 1 and discharges them into the outer atmosphere.
However, the maximum efficiency of such a general kitchen hood 2 in discharging the fumes is only about 70 percent. Therefore, the remnant (about 30 percent or more) of the fumes rises with the cooking heat and spreads to other places.
Moreover, the efficiency of the kitchen hood decreases in proportion to the time of use because grease collects in a duct or a gate of the kitchen hood.
One of the ventilation systems for overcoming the shortcomings of the aforesaid conventional kitchen hood is disclosed as follows, as shown in FIG. 2.
The ventilation system shown in FIG. 2 comprises a hood 2 that is placed above the cooking appliance 1, an exhaust port 3 installed in the ceiling of the kitchen near the hood 2, and an air curtain device 4 installed near the entrance of the kitchen, which is for isolating the kitchen from other rooms of a house.
The ventilation system is provided in order to exhaust the remnant overflowing fumes from the cooking appliance 1, that the hood 2 cannot inhale.
When there are overflowing fumes that the exhaust port 3 cannot inhale, the air curtain device 4 prevents the overflowing fumes from spreading into other portions of the house.
However, the ventilation system also has shortcomings in that the inhaling capacity of the exhaust port is limited in home use, so it is impossible to inhale and discharge the fumes completely. In particular, the system cannot inhale fumes that are more distant than six times the diameter of the exhaust port 3.
Also, the overflowing fumes circulate in the kitchen because of the air curtain device, causing the air quality of the kitchen to worsen.
Moreover, the effect of the home air conditioner cannot reach the kitchen because of the blocking caused by the air curtain device 4. Therefore, the heat buildup in the kitchen becomes more serious.
According to a simulation of such a ventilation system, the air curtain device lacks the capacity to prevent the fumes from spreading to other spaces. Instead, the system causes air flow turbulence in a kitchen, making matters worse.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a ventilation system for a kitchen for removing fumes from the space above a cooking appliance, working together with a kitchen hood disposed above the cooking appliance, so that the system can improve the air quality of a kitchen, prevent the fumes from spreading to other spaces, and decrease heat buildup in a kitchen.
According to an aspect of the above object, there is provided a ventilation system used in a kitchen for removing fumes from the space above a cooking appliance with a kitchen hood disposed above the cooking appliance, the system comprising: a suction element installed in the ceiling near the location of the kitchen hood; an exhaust duct connecting the suction element to the ventilation funnel of the building; an exhaust fan installed in the exhaust duct; a fume capturing means installed in the ceiling near the suction element at the opposite side of the suction element from the kitchen hood, for drawing fumes from the cooking appliance to the suction element by jetting air to the suction element along the ceiling; and an air supply element connecting the suction element and the means for capturing fumes, with a suction fan installed in the air supply element. An auxiliary suction inlet may be disposed in the ceiling, near the kitchen hood, to provide a further inlet to the fume capturing means.